Wilier Triestina Zero.7 frameset

Technology advances, step by step, pedal stroke after pedal stroke, inexorably. Everything that matters, evolves. All the rest fades into the past. A stylistic and technological update to renew the essence of the top bike Wilier’s range.

FRAME OVERVIEW

Zero.7 is the lightest bicycle Wilier Triestina has ever made, and the revolution it leads has a specific goal: setting the new design standard for ultra-light racing bikes . The frame weighs under 800 grams, but the technology applied to it differs from those normally used in this type of bicycle. The team of engineers in Rossano Veneto applied technologies to the Zero.7 that were developed for the Cento1SR and Cento1 AIR: cable integration, integrated fork, and better aerodynamic efficiency to name only a few. Zero.7 is therefore the natural evolution of the Zero.7 platform as we have known and ridden it thus f ar. The most noticeable apsect of the new frame is the shape, featuring less volume than the previous version of the Zero.7. New construction techniques have allowed us to reduce the volume of the frame tubes by 19%. However, the smaller diameter tubes have not reduced lateral stiffness or the safety of the frame. Quite the contrary. In the process of producing the Zero.7 monocoque frame, we use an internal liner made of a special thermoplastic material, into which the bladder is inserted. This internal liner helps to create a uniform and equal pressure along the inner carbon walls of the frame. With this process, we achieve total control over the thickness and smoothness of the frame walls. Thus the pressure exerted on the inside of the frame from the bladder is distributed equally over all points on the frame. This construction technique allows us to give the frame considerable stiffness at the most critical points without adding carbon to these parts, keeping the frame ultra-light.

INTEGRATED CABLES

Wilier Triestina’s designers know perfectly well that it is the det ails that make the difference. Little things can make a huge difference. This is why they haven’t neglected any of the details in the new integrated cable system. The plate through which the rear brake cable enters the top tube has been redesigned to permit passage of electronic wires if running an electronic group. This 2-in-1 plate is minimal, almost negligible in weight, and cleanly integrated into the frame. The same applies to the shifter cables (the front and rear derailleur in the mechanical version), which enter through a tiny plate on the down tube. The special internal design of this plate perfectly guides the cables inside the down tube, minimizing friction and keeping the cables tense and perfectly straight up to the point where they cross over in the plate positioned underneath the bottom bracket. The shifter cables cross over outside of the frame on a cable guide plate, making it impossible to direct them the wrong way. When using an electronic group, the plate on the down tube is replaced by a blind plate, giving the frame a cleaner, more elegant look. The shape of the cable routing plate under the bottom bracket is specially designed to cross over the shifter cables with minimum friction and provide the perfect cable angle for the function of either shifter cable. We made sure that the rear derailleur cable is kept suspended inside the chain stays without touching its walls. In the derailleur however, it allows the cable to reach the attachment point to the derailleur at a natural angle. The cable guide plate is flush within the frame, which provides a smooth aerodynamic surface. This improves air flow over models using a traditional plate.

INTEGRATED FORK

To achieve greater riding stability and aerodynamic efficiency, Wilier Triestina’s technicians have focused their attention and research on the front end of the frame. We found that by repositioning the down tube and the top tube with respect to the head tube, the head tube’s height virtually increases. The resulting virtual increase increases torsional stiffness by 14% over the same size frame in the previous version of the Zero.7. With this new configuration, the down tube seamlessly integrates with the crown of the fork and generates an aerodynamic profile that reduces drag. The fork’s legs boast the same aerodynamic features as the TwinBlade and Cento1AIR models. The fork’s brake hole is hidden by the down tube which keeps it clean and well protected. The resulting new design also gives the front end improved aesthetics with simple, harmonious lines.

BB386EVO

The BB386EVO system takes the construction concept of oversized central movement successfully introduced by Wilier Triestina in 2009 to new limits. We came up with an innovative way of obtaining unprecedented stiffness at a critical point in the frame, perfectly incorporating a stiff crankset into a stiff frame. The traditional BB30 was inadequate as it required a 68 mm frame in the frameset: too small for the degree of stiffness we wanted. On the basis of this assumption, we worked with FSA to come up with the new standard BB386EVO, which uses a 30 mm axel crank with a olnger axle and a greater circumference in the BB shell of the farme. BENEFITS: BB386EVO gives the Zero.7’s frame much greater stiffness in the bottom bracket area than an ordinary BB30 frame. The problem of tolerances is solved by the press fit system: bearings are integrated with a polymer cup which adapts perfectly to different diameters and can be secured inside the frame’s 46 mm opening. The BB386EVO is compatible with various other conventional standards on the market. We subjected the BB386EVO to independent testing at an authoritative German research institute. They found the frame to have the stiffest bottom bracket of any frame they have ever tested. Looking back at this result, we can confidently say that framesets built using this technology are among the most highest performing on the market.

SWINGARM

No joints, glue or screws: rear dropouts form a single unit with the lower part of the rear triangle. The joining section, usually constructed in aluminum, is also part of the carbon monocoque unit. All of this means gr eater lightness and stiffness.

3D DERAILLEUR HANGER

Wilier looks to every detail on our bikes to optimize performance and functionality, and our 3D Derailleur Hanger is evidence of this. Zero.7 derailleur hangers are no longer merely there to facilitate the installation of the rear derailleur. They have assumed a third dimension of functionality, seamlessly integrating different systems while simultaneously serving as cable stops. For our new 3D Hangers, we dramatically increased stiffness to ensure perfect shifting and improved durability. The new 2-in-1 derailleur hangers can be used with either mechanical or electronic groups. With a mechanical group setup, the cable stop is positioned closer to the derailleur itself. This enables a shorter length of housing from frame to derailleur, while still allowing for optimal cable arc-maximizing rear derailleur smoothness and consistency. As with the Zero.7’s internal cable routing through the down tube, this cable stop keeps the rear derailleur shift cable well-tensioned and centered within the stay for a silent and frictionless shift action. When using electronic groups, the design allows the electric wiring to pass through in the cleanest way possible. The internal electric routing is optimized as well, with the wiring’s point of exit positioned well above the dropout for quick and unencumbered wheel changes.

STIFFNESS AND COMFORT - S.E.I. FILM

S.E.I. (Special Elastic Infiltrated) Film, introduced with the development of the first version of the Zero.7 in 2011, is an exclusive viscoelastic material which is placed between the layers of carbon in the frame to improve vibration absorption and shock resistance. Stiffness makes for the efficient use of muscle power, which is why we use ultra-high modulus carbon fiber such as 60TON in the Zero.7. But stiffness doesn’t exactly translate into comfort! S.E.I. Film allows us to preserve the frame’s performance (the speed generated by a certain amount of power) while reducing the effect of vertical stress transmitted by the ground while riding. S.E.I. Film also helps us reduce the frame weight because we can use less lower modulus carbon which would normally be added for elasticity to improve comfort. When compared to a frame made of the same type of c arbon but without S.E.I. Film, Zero.7 has:

35% more shock resistance

18% lower risk of delamination

12% greater capacity to bend without breaking

Additional elements that make the Zero.7 a comfortable bike to ride are the 27.2 mm seatpost diameter and thin seat stays for additional comfort and absorption of vertical stress without wasting the muscle power applied to the pedals.

ASYMMETRIC REAR ARMS

The drive-side chainstay has been modified to better facilitate the forces applied to it by the actuation of the drivetrain, providing enhanced stability and ultra-efficient power transfer.